Apps to blame for biggest spike in traffic deaths

On behalf of Hopkins Law Firm, LLC posted in Personal Injury on Monday, November 21, 2016.

Drivers have been distracted since cars were first invented. When cell phones became ever-present, drivers and advocacy groups grew even more concerned with distracted driving. However, it now seems that phone apps, such as Snapchat and Waze, are a large cause of distraction among motorists, rather than the traditional talking and texting.

According to the New York Times, the biggest annual percentage increase in highway fatalities in 50 years occurred in 2015, with numbers even worse this year. Specifically, highway fatalities increased by 10.4 percent from the comparable time last year, to 17,775, as per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This jump follows a steady decrease in fatalities over the preceding four decades.

What Is Being Done?

The Obama Administration's transportation secretary, Anthony Fox, divides solutions into near- and long-term. In the near-term, he recommends changes to laws, regulations and guidelines, pushing for greater safety measures to be taken, including expanding helmet and seat belt laws.

The longer-term solutions is centered around not removing distractions, but rather, removing the driver. Autonomous vehicles are already being rolled out in small numbers across the United States. Secretary Fox anticipates that, with the proliferation of self-driving cars, distracted driving, and therefore fatalities that occur due to these distractions, will go down. However, as indicated, this is a solution that will take years, if not decades, to fully implement.

In the meantime, drivers are ever more connected to their phones and personal technology during a commute. Many connect their iPhones or Androids to their car systems via bluetooth or wire, allowing them to access music and navigation technology. In these instances, it's often up to the driver to distance him or herself from potential distractions.

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